La cassure nucléaire en tant qu'outil pour sonder les corrélations entre les nucléons du noyau a été étudiée d'un point de vue théorique et expérimental.<br />Une théorie, appelée Time Dependant Density Matrix (TDDMP), basée sur une approche de champ moyen et prenant en compte les corrélations à deux corps a été développée. Elle permet de décrire l'évolution dynamique d'un noyau corrélé, notamment pour le mécanisme de cassure nucléaire. Cette étude montre que les distributions en angle relatif des nucléons émis sont très différentes pour des corrélations initiales différentes : deux nucléons dans une configuration spatiale proche donnent lieu à une émission de neutrons avec un petit angle relatif, alors qu'une configuration où les nucléons sont éloignés conduit à de grands angles relatifs.<br />L'6He, noyau borroméen, présente de fortes corrélations entre les deux neutrons de son halo. Deux configurations dominantes sont prédites pour l'état fondamental de ce noyau : la configuration di-neutron (où les deux neutrons sont proches) et la configuration cigare (où les deux neutrons sont de part et d'autre du coeur).<br />La cassure nucléaire de l'6He sur cible de 208Pb a été réalisée au GANIL avec un faisceau SPIRAL : les noyaux d'4He issus de la cassure étaient détectés à l'aide d'un Silicium à pistes couplé à un Silicium-Lithium, et les neutrons à l'aide des détecteurs EDEN et du mur à Neutrons (Neutron Wall) afin d'avoir une large couverture angulaire.<br />Les fonctions de corrélation extraites des données montrent la présence de fortes corrélations à petit angle relatif mais aussi à grand relatif, qui peuvent être attribuées respectivement à la configuration di-neutron et à la configuration cigare. L'état fondamental de l'6He serait donc constitué par une superposition de ces deux configurations.

<p>A Monte Carlo simulation of the Neutron Wall detector system has been performed using Geant4, in order to define optimum conditions for the detection and identification of multiple neutrons. Emphasis was put on studying the scattering of neutrons between different detectors, which is the main source of the apparent increase of the number of detected neutrons. The simulation has been compared with experimental data. The quality of neutron gated γ-ray spectra was improved for both two- and three-neutron evaporation channels. The influence of small amounts of γ rays mis-interpreted as neutrons was investigated. It was found that such γ rays dramatically reduce the quality of neutron gated γ-ray spectra.</p><p>The interaction properties of fast neutrons in a closed-end coaxial and a planar high-purity germanium detector (HPGe) were studied. Digitised waveforms of HPGe preamplifier signals were recorded for time-of-flight separated neutrons and γ rays, emitted by a ²⁵²Cf source. The experimental waveforms from the detectors were compared to simulated pulse shapes. In the analysis, special emphasis was given to the detection of elastically scattered neutrons, which may be an important effect to take into account in future spectrometers based on γ-ray tracking. No differences between neutron and γ-ray induced pulse shapes were found in this work.</p><p>A Monte Carlo simulation of the interactions of fast neutrons in the future 4π γ-ray spectrometer AGATA was also performed, in order to study the influence of neutrons on γ-ray tracking. It was shown that although there is a large probability of detecting neutrons in AGATA, the neutrons decrease the photo-peak efficiency of AGATA by only about 1% for each neutron emitted in coincidence with γ rays. The peak-to-background ratios in γ-ray spectra are, however, reduced to a much larger extent. The possibility of using AGATA as a neutron detector system was also investigated.</p>

A Monte Carlo simulation of the Neutron Wall detector system has been performed using Geant4, in order to define optimum conditions for the detection and identification of multiple neutrons. Emphasis was put on studying the scattering of neutrons between different detectors, which is the main source of the apparent increase of the number of detected neutrons. The simulation has been compared with experimental data. The quality of neutron gated γ-ray spectra was improved for both two- and three-neutron evaporation channels. The influence of small amounts of γ rays mis-interpreted as neutrons was investigated. It was found that such γ rays dramatically reduce the quality of neutron gated γ-ray spectra. The interaction properties of fast neutrons in a closed-end coaxial and a planar high-purity germanium detector (HPGe) were studied. Digitised waveforms of HPGe preamplifier signals were recorded for time-of-flight separated neutrons and γ rays, emitted by a 252Cf source. The experimental waveforms from the detectors were compared to simulated pulse shapes. In the analysis, special emphasis was given to the detection of elastically scattered neutrons, which may be an important effect to take into account in future spectrometers based on γ-ray tracking. No differences between neutron and γ-ray induced pulse shapes were found in this work. A Monte Carlo simulation of the interactions of fast neutrons in the future 4π γ-ray spectrometer AGATA was also performed, in order to study the influence of neutrons on γ-ray tracking. It was shown that although there is a large probability of detecting neutrons in AGATA, the neutrons decrease the photo-peak efficiency of AGATA by only about 1% for each neutron emitted in coincidence with γ rays. The peak-to-background ratios in γ-ray spectra are, however, reduced to a much larger extent. The possibility of using AGATA as a neutron detector system was also investigated.